Comparative studies on toluene removal and pressure drop in biofilters using different packing materials

To select the best available packing material for malodorous organic gases such as toluene and benzene, biofilter performance was compared in biofilters employed different packing materials including porous ceramic (celite), Jeju scoria (lava), a mixture of granular activated carbon (GAC) and celite (GAC/celite), and cubic polyurethane foam (PU). A toluene-degrading bacterium, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia T3-c, was used as the inoculum. The maximum elimination capacities in the celite, lava, and GAC/celite biofilters were 100, 130, and 110 gm(-3) hr(-1), respectively. The elimination capacity for the PU biofilter was approximately 350 g m(-3) hr(-1) at an inlet loading of approximately 430 g m(-3) hr(-1), which was 2 to 3.5 times higher than for the other biofilters. The pressure drop gradually increased in the GAC/ celite, celite and lava biofilters after 23 day due to bacterial over-growth, and the toluene removal efficiency remarkably decreased with increasing pressure drop. Backwashing method was not effective for the control of biomass in these biofilters. In the PU biofilter however, backwashing allowed maintenance of a pressure drop of 1 to 3 mm H2O m(-1) and a removal efficiency of > 80%, indicating that the PU was the best packing material for toluene removal among the packing materials tested.     

Study on the removal of NOx from simulated flue gas using acidic NaClO2 solution

The study on the removal of NOx from simulated flue gas has been carded out in a lab-scale bubbling reactor using acidic solutions of sodium chlorite. Experiments were performed at various pH values and inlet NO concentrations in the absence or presence of SO2 gas at 45℃. The effect of SO2 on NO oxidation and NO2 absorption was critically examined. The oxidative ability of sodium chlorite was investigated at different pH values and it was found to be a better oxidant at a pH less than 4. In acidic medium, sodium chlorite decomposed into C102 gas, which is believed to participate in NO oxidation as well as in NO2 absorption. A plausible NOx removal mechanism using acidic sodium chlorite solution has been postulated. A maximum NOx removal efficiency of about 81% has been achieved.     

Assessment of groundwater contamination using geographic information systems

In this study two sites were selected in order to investigate groundwater contamination and spatial relationships among groundwater quality, topography, geology, landuse and pollution sources. One site is the Asan area, an agricultural district where pollution sources are scattered and which is mainly underlain by granite of Cretaceous age. The other site is the Gurogu area of Seoul city, an industrial district where an industrial complex and residential areas are located and which is mainly underlain by gneiss of Precambrian age. Groundwater samples collected from these districts were analysed for chemical constituents. An attribute value files of chemical constituents of groundwater and the spatial data layers were constructed and pollution properties were investigated to establish out spatial relationships between the groundwater constituents and pollution sources using geographic information systems (GIS).Relatively high contents of Si and HCO₃ ^– in the groundwater from the Asan area reflect the effect of water–rock interaction whereas high contents of Cl^–, NO₃ ^– and Ca²⁺ in the groundwater from the Gurogu area are due to the pollution of various sources. The significant seasonal variation of SiO₂, HCO₂ ^– and Ca²⁺ contents, and that of Ca²⁺ content were observed in the Asan and the Gurogu areas, respectively. Seasonal variation of pollutants such as Cl^–, NO₃ ^– and SO₄ ^2– was not observed in either area. Pollution over the critical level of the Korean drinking water standard has been investigated from 15 sampling sites out of 40 in the Asan area, and 33 sampling sites out of 51 in the Gurogu area. Pollution by NO₃ ^–, Cl^–, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, SO₄ ^2– and Zn²⁺ in the groundwater from the industrial district (Gurogu area) and that of NO₃ , SO₄ ^2– and Zn²⁺ in the groundwater from the agricultural district (Asan area) were observed. The principal pollutant in both areas is NO₃ ^–. Deep groundwater from the Asan area is not yet contaminated with NO₃ ^– except for one site, but most of the shallow groundwater site occurring near the potential point sources is seriously contaminated. From the result of buffering analysis, it seems clear that factories and stock farms are the principal pollution sources in the Asan area. The groundwater from the Gurogu area has already been seriously polluted considering the fact of NO₃ ^– contamination of deep groundwater. Chlorine pollution of shallow groundwater in the Gurogu area was also observed. Spatial relationship between pollution level and its source was clarified in this study by using GIS, which will be applicable to the effective management of groundwater quality.     

Quality control for coal combustion products in South Korea through assessed pozzolanic-activity index with long-term property tests

In South Korea, nine million tons of fly ash (FA) are annually produced and approximately 70 % is reutilized for industrial demand. For the prompt reuse and insufficient reclamation site, quality control of FA which is main productive construction material from coal ash is very important. Assessed Pozzolanic-activity Index (API) test which needs only 2 days for evaluation of pozzolanic reaction is currently considered as an alternative of activity index measurement. This paper aims for an applicability of API test for prompt quality control and investigation of domestic FA properties. For the work, FAs from two different power plant types are prepared, and quality tests are carried out based on Korean Standards (KS) methods and API method. Lots of test results are compared with those from API and K-value test for FA with age of 7 days–1 year. From the test results for FA aged 1 year, API results are evaluated to be closely related with those from activity index and K-value, and the correlations are improved with increasing ages regardless of plant types. The applicability of API test is verified and the reduced period of FA quality evaluation can accelerate prompt use and the related process of FA.     

Efficacy of rapeseed residue and eggshell waste on enzyme activity and soil quality in rice paddy

Addition of plant residue into soils improves soil physiochemical properties and its fertility. Rapeseed residue is an emerging N source to paddy soils via rice-rape double-cropping practice. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of rapeseed residue and eggshell waste on chemical changes and enzyme activity in the rice paddy soil. The powdered eggshells at 0, 1, 3, and 5% were applied once to 7.0 kg paddy repacked soils in each pot treated with the rapeseed residue or the conventional N, P, and K fertilisers. Eight rice seedlings (Oriza sativa L. cv. Ilmibyeo) (40 days after sowing) were transplanted to the treated each pot. The contents of total C (TC) and N (TN), and organic matter (OM) were significantly increased in soils treated with the rapeseed residue compared to the N, P, and K fertilisers. With the addition of eggshell containing ～92% CaCO₃, a considerable increase of soil pH was observed in soils treated with the rapeseed residue and the N, P, and K fertilisers, compared to the untreated soil. Activities of β-glucosidase, urease, and arylsulfatase enzymes were higher in soils treated with the rapeseed residue than soils treated with the N, P, and K fertilisers. The eggshell additions at 1, 3, and 5% into soils treated with the rapeseed residue increased enzyme activity mainly resulting from N mineralisation, whereas no change in enzyme activity was observed in the soils treated with the NPK fertiliser. The combined use of the rapeseed residue and the eggshells can be beneficial to improve soil environment.     

Metabolic response under different salinity and temperature conditions for glass eel Anguilla japonica

Diadromous fish often enter freshwater directly from seawater via fish ladders or channels built in estuarine dams. The oxygen consumption rates (OCR) of glass eel, Anguilla japonica, were determined using an automatic intermittent flow respirometer under various salinity and temperature regimes to physiologically explain this direct movement. The endogenous rhythm of the OCR in wild glass eels, freshly collected from estuaries, was nearly synchronous with the tidal pattern at the estuarine collection site. When the salinity was changed from 20 psu (12°C) at a constant temperature to that of freshwater, the OCR of the glass eels decreased by 21.6±7.0% (mean ± SD) (P<0.05), showing a dampened rhythm for about 48 h. After this period of impediment, the glass eels resumed normal metabolic activity. Direct migration from seawater to freshwater under constant temperature would result in a severe physiological stress for these glass eels for about two days. When the glass eels were exposed to a cyclic change in water temperature of 2°C 26 h⁻¹, as they encounter in estuaries, and then were introduced to freshwater abruptly, the OCR rhythm corresponded to the cyclic changes in water temperature after exposure to freshwater. Under these conditions, the mean OCR of the glass eels had a small difference before and after exposure to freshwater. These data explained how glass eels can directly move from sea water into the freshwater without any apparent metabolic stress in the estuaries showing cyclic change in water temperature (Δt=2°C).     

A simple approach to modeling microbial biomass in the rhizosphere

Microorganisms make an important contribution to the degradation of contaminants in bioremediation as well as in phytoremediation. An accurate estimation of microbial concentrations in the soil would be valuable in predicting contaminant dissipation during various bioremediation processes. A simple modeling approach to quantify the microbial biomass in the rhizosphere was developed in this study. Experiments were conducted using field column lysimeters planted with Eastern gamagrass. The microbial biomass concentrations from the rhizosphere soil, bulk soil, and unplanted soil were monitored for six months using an incubation–fumigation method. The proposed model was applied to the field microbial biomass data and good correlation between simulated and experimental data was achieved. The results indicate that plants increase microbial concentrations in the soil by providing root exudates as growth substrates for microorganisms. Since plant roots are initially small and do not produce large quantities of exudates when first seeded, the addition of exogenous substrates may be needed to increase initial microbial concentrations at the start of phytoremediation projects.     

Simulating the dynamics of sulfur species and zinc in wetland sediments

In situ measurements comparing vertical SO₄²⁻ profiles in vegetated and non-vegetated sediments showed that SO₄²⁻ concentrations in vegetated sediments increased significantly at the beginning of the growing season and then gradually decreased during the rest of the growing season. Throughout the growing season, SO₄²⁻ concentrations remained higher in the vegetated sediments than in the sediments without plants. The higher SO₄²⁻ concentrations in the vegetated sediments indicate that oxygen release from roots and evapotranspiration-induced advection by plants play an important role in the dynamics of sulfur species in sediments. Since the total pool of solid-phase sulfide is relatively large compared to the mass of SO₄²⁻ in the sediments, the gradual decrease of SO₄²⁻ concentrations may result from limitation of the solid-phase sulfide that is in direct contact with or very close to the roots and rhizomes. This would mean that the main pool of solid-phase sulfide and associated trace metals are not affected by the oxygen release from roots, and the associated trace metals will not become bioavailable during the growing season.     

Balancing the energy demand by a resource circulation project in Daejeon,Korea

Demand for sustainable renewable energy is on an increase worldwide, whereas the supply is limited. This paper analyses the feasibility of generating electricity and supplying the surplus steam to Daeduk Industrial Complex, by incinerating the combustible municipal waste generated in Daejeon Metropolitan City. The economic feasibility of surplus biogas generated from the anaerobic digestion of food waste and food waste leachate has been analysed. This study estimated resource circulation facility to supply 23,200 m³/day of biogas generated to Daejeon Combined Heat and Power plant. By 2023, it is expected to supply 25.7 tons of steam per hour all year round. The additional steam demand in Daeduk Industrial Complex is estimated as 101,537 tons/year. Surplus biogas will be supplied through an additional 960-m new installation. The cost of biogas is estimated at 30% of the unit biogas production cost. Daejeon Combined Heat and Power plant expects to make 60% additional profit, and Daeduk Industrial Complex and the communities nearby expect to achieve 10% cost savings. It also reduces the dependence of energy on fossil fuels, contributes to national environmental energy policy in reduction in greenhouse gases, creates competitiveness in local business and reduces corporate tax and generates revenue.